The Death of Black Friday?

(Seriously, check the site—the number of people opting out goes up every few minutes.)

This year, REI won’t be participating in Black Friday.

In a surprise move, the venerable vendor of outdoor gear announced that it will be closing all 143 store locations on Black Friday, one of the biggest shopping days of the year for retail businesses.

Do you plan to #OptOutside?

Their reason?

To encourage their employees, as well as potential shoppers, to get outside and enjoy the outdoors, rather than standing in endlessly long lines and snatching up discounted gadgets.

“For 76 years, our co-op has been dedicated to one thing and one thing only: a life outdoors,” says CEO and president Jerry Stritzke in a press release. “We believe that being outside makes our lives better. And Black Friday is the perfect time to remind ourselves of this essential truth.”

According to Stritzke, while everyone else is “fighting it out in the aisles,” REI employees will be compensated and spending the day exploring the outdoors, in keeping with the company’s style and mission.

This is an attitude REI hopes others will adopt by avoiding the mayhem and breaking with tradition. Participants are invited to use the hashtag #OptOutside to share their experiences.

REI’s new #OptOutside landing page, counting down the days until the Friday after Thanksgiving.

Why close on Black Friday?

If Black Friday is one of the biggest, most profitable shopping days of the year for retailers, why not take advantage?

Why has REI decided to shut its doors, and why are other businesses shunning the steady creep of Black Friday, as businesses are now expected to open on what is technically still Thanksgiving day?

While REI credits their closure to a simple desire to encourage their employees and customers to get outside, criticisms of this most consumer-driven day of the year run deeper than that.

Lines outside of retailers such as Best Buy can get a little out of hand. Source.

The increased expectation for retailers to be open earlier and longer results in less time for employees to spend with their families, an approach that some find problematic. The earlier stores open, the less time workers have to enjoy the holiday, which strikes some as unfair and not in keeping with the spirit of the day.

While these are extreme examples, Black Friday lends itself to extremism, a fact that has raised some questions about the ethical nature of the day.

From forcing employees to work lengthy hours on a holiday, to crowds so unruly that injury is frequent, and the inherent focus on buying, buying, buying—it’s not surprising that retailers and consumers alike are beginning to question whether or not participation is a good idea.

What should your business do?

Do you feel that the potential for added sales would benefit your business? Would your business actually make a profit by cutting deep discounts?

The realities of how offering Black Friday deals will affect your bottom line should not be ignored. While larger chains may be able to offer huge discounts—sometimes up to 70% off—and absorb their losses, your small business may not.

And, furthermore, does being open on Black Friday (and often on Thanksgiving evening) align with your company culture and principles?

If you answered yes, carry on—just make sure to track your metrics, so that you can determine later on if it was worth your while, and what to do more of, less of, or differently next year.

(And, maybe consider letting your employees spend as much time with their families as possible, and save the opening until Friday morning).

Small Business Saturday can be a great alternative that encourages customers to shop local.

An alternative: Small Business Saturday

If you’re not sure Black Friday is for you, never fear—it’s not the only option.

Small Business Saturday is another way for smaller businesses to take advantage of the holiday shopping melee in a less overwhelming—and potentially costly—way.

Conceived by American Express, Small Business Saturday is to small businesses what Black Friday is to big box chains: a chance to offer discounts for holiday shoppers.

Briana is the content marketing specialist for Palo Alto Software. She enjoys discussing marketing, social media, and the pros and cons of the Oxford comma. Briana is a resident of Portland, Oregon, and can be found working remotely from a variety of local coffee shops. She can also be found, infrequently, on Twitter.